Apparatus for cutting tubing



May 15, 1951 R. HAHN ETAL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TUBING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 16, 1948 //v VEN Toes BE A l/flH/V May 15, 1951 R. l. HAHN ETAL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TUBING OriginaI Filed July 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VEN Toes REF H49 o N '1. I

THE/Z HTTOIZ May 15, 1951 R. 1. HAHN ETAL 5 51 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TUBING Original Filed July 1a, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet a es 1 HRH/V BEE/VAED E. Femv/r HE/Z FTTOE/VEYS Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED I 2,553,189- APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TUBING Rea I; nebula-mi Bernard E. Frank, Rochester, N. Y., assignorsto:General Mctorscor orsflon, Detroit, Mich, a corporation. ofllielaware contin ion: application. serial No. 38,956; July 16', 1948*. This application February 3; 1950. Serial No; 142.261

This application is a continuation of our co pending application Serial No. 38,956,filed Jill? 16', 1948.

This invention relates to a paratus-for cutting tubing into lengths.

An object of the invention isto provide a t m chine which will automatically cut tubing into: desired lengths without stopping operatiomof'tiie feed mechanism. The tubing is fed through-thecutter unit into engagement with a. bar Whih: is moved laterally by the tubing to effect-the closing of an electric switch which causes the-butter to operate the bar tomove to apositionabove the tubing whereupon a spring moves the bar later ally in a direction opposite to tubing movement in consequence of which the cuttubing is mov e's under the bar by the uncut tubing until the out tubing clears the cutter unitwhereupon-itgrati tates from the machine.

Further objects and advantages or the present 20 the block i.

invention willv be apparent from: the following de scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein. a preferred embodiments!" the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side View of the feeding: and cutting: devices of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3, which is a continuation of. Fig; 1, is. ,2. front view of the. means for automaticaliyoper ating the cutter;

Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 4A is a sectional view on line 45-18 6! Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view online 5-4 offF'ig. 3

Figs. 6, 7 and 3 are diagramsshowingapositioii of lever I00 relative to tubing T; I

Fig. 9 is a view in" the' direction orarrcwr or? Fig. 1 showing the cutter andmeans'f reiterating. it;

10 is a sectional view of. the. cutter es: 1111K In ll] of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, abuse plate" sup ports a tubing feeder unit comprising ai'bloel'e 2' I attached thereto by screws 22 and? located by dowels 23. Block 2| supportsirods 24? attached; thereto by screws 25. Rods 24 guide" abi'o'ckl 28 having bearing bushings: 21 which fslide on the rods. Blocks 2| and 2B support/shafts 28 main: respectively to which grooved feedrollers fltaindi 3| respectively are attached. Shaft-. 28: is com nected in any suitable manner with a; source oi'ri mechanical power so that it willtbc rotatericibcic wise as viewed in Fig. 1. Roller 3 1 is: urgsdflto ward roller 30 by springs 32 surroundinrucfi'lt l" 3 Clainite (01. 164-49)- 2'1 and? ccnfin'edunder pressure between blocks It and aiate a'swhicn-is maintained in the desired position of adjustment by ascrew 34 threaded thrown a plate 351- screws 3t attacn-to the rods 24'. Tubing is; fed: between rollers wand 3 1 tc the' rightin Fig. I through atube 31- supported? bracket 38 which screws- 3! attach tZi thebase?- Referring also tc- Figs. 9' and 10; the bases-'0 siip orts at guide platen whichscrews: 41 and dowels-4'2 conneetwith the base-.- Plate" suppenise -cutter unitcomprisingbasebicclewwhicii supports a frame comprising" side w and topbars 45". This frame and basecai'ry'fmriien ttll'yi iiovable blocks 46 carrying two pairsof'tub ingt ripping. jaws-4 1. springs-urge tl ie-blbciis it against cam-bars: 49 which screws illattaeh to at block-' 51. A cutter blade is attached screws-ti ts a plate 54which:screwsteattacii when block 51 is' moveddown: by meansgto be described: ts the blade 52- through the tubing; the bars; flicarri the: blocks w-t'o' raeachotiier against theaction or's'prings: 481w the-pairs of jaws-M te grip-matchin These pairs ct jaws are: spaced: apart the thickness of the blade which shears 01f a shunt section oi the: tubing and: pushesit down: through holes intherbicek: 43, late miand base- 2.0;-

The block 511 has: a. fisl'ot for receiving a; 'r-biocki 61: through which a screw fiz'isthreadedi. Screws 62; together with nut G3 threaded thereon.- secure' aplate. 6'4 tc-the block 61%... eiateiiksumports aired 785' having a; threaded p-ortionareceivi'n'g' nuts 66; the adjustment or which. loeatestnelfower end'. of the rod at: th desired; elevation,

screw 62 iscon'nected by acoupiing": 6'1. withirod l8v and tne coupling 61 is located in the desired position of adjustment by a nut 69 Rod; 88 is connected: to apistonwithizr a" fluidiipress'ure cykihderlfifwhichfis'f attached by'screws-l lr-to azplate T2. supported; by plates. 13:. attached 156 535612"... Pipe-s71 amt t5, connected res eetiveiywith: the: and'iower ends of. thBTCyHndeFIf,a1fT nected with a valve" 7:6 having an inlet 'pipe H" and an: exhaust pipcnot showm Theaval ve" condition'edbyeleetromagnetsorxsoienoidsw ink 19 controlled respectively by switches Ell-81 i a manner t'c'be described The mechanis'xn' for automatically: operating the. switches B50 and: 81 willnow be. described with: refercnce'tu 3.. rand 5: Plate'floiattaoli'editm base 20 supports brackets" 9i andE'QZFW -hidh. port a rotatableand. axially movable shaft. 93 carrying a. K511711841 (Fig. 5% connectea by a. spring '1 with. aserew" 9i attached base. 9E2. springshaft 93 by screws I92. A bar m3 is attached by screw 104 to shaft 93 and supports a screw, 59;"; passing through a plain hole in the bar E93 an threaded to the bar [99.

The length of the tubing dependent on the location of the bar flies-which the tubing strikes and causes right movement of which is cut oif 'is 4 ratus comprising a tubing cutter movable transversely of the tubing, an abutment member located normally in the path of movement of the tubing, means supporting the member for movement with the tubing and supporting the member ..fcr movement laterally away from the tubingfa first spring which opposes movement of the member with the tubing, 2. second spring which opposes movement of the member laterally WQJLfIQm thetubing, a first device actuated by movement of the member with the tubing for the shaft 93 to engage the plunger 86a of switch I member in a direction opposite to that of tubing 80 (supported by bracket 496, Fig. 3) thereby causing it to close, thereby energizing solenoid it (Fig. 6) which causes valve 19 to operate to con- 3 nect pipes 11 and I so that the piston in cylinder 10 move down to cause the blade 52 to sever the-tubing. During downward movement of the blade 52 the rod 85 engages a lever H9 attached to the shaft 93, thereby causing it to rotate clockwise (Fig. 5) and to cause the bar Hi!) to move up so that the cut tubing can pass underit. When the bar Hill is released from'pengagement with the tubing, the spring 99 pushes the shaft 93' toward the left to permit switch 88 to open.

Near the end of downward movement of the blade when'shaft 93 is rotatedto -lif;t the stop bar Hi0, switch BI is closed by the engagement of; its plunger 8la (Fig. 3)---by leverl H which ascrew H2 fixes to the shaft 93. The closing of switch 8| causes'solenoid E9 to be energized thereby connecting pipes ll and l5 so that the piston in cylinder ill will rise and the cutter blade '52 will return to upper position. The cutter blade 52 is located in the path of movement of the tubing for a very brief instant during which the tubing stops while the feed rolls slip thereon. Whenthecutter blade 52, rises above the tubing movement thereof is resumed and it pushes the cut tubing under the bar I99. When the cut tubing has cleared the cutter unit it gravitates from themachine.

-An important feature of the present invention is the endwise movable and rotatable stop bar l0 shown at lfliia in Fig. 6, which the tubing'T engages and moves to the right to posi-' tion I001) shown in Fig. '7 to cause closing of switch 80 whereupon the bar is lifted near thepend'of.

downward movement of the cutter to'a'position above the tubing whereupon the bar is moved by spring 99 to the left and above the right end of-the-tubing as shownat i990 in Fig. 8. During upward movement of the cutter 52, the bar I00 returns by the action of spring 95 to normal position" [09a preparatory to engagement by the end-of the 'uncut tubing; and,- during said return movement of the bar me, it istrikes'th'e' right-end of'the'cut tubing to assist ineject ing thesame. Therefore, the cut tubing can pass under the bar as it is moved by the uncut tubing to clear the cutter unit whereupon the, cut tubing gravitates from the machine into a receptacle.

While the embodiment of the present invent-iohas herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that 'other' forms might be adopted, all coming within the-scope of the claims which follow. What is claimed is as follows: i j -1. Apparatus for cutting tubingwhich is moved longitudinally; by a feeding device, said a'ppacausing advancement of the cutter to cut the tubinmmeans actuated in response to advancement of the cutter to move the member laterally away from the pathof movement of the tubing, said movement and to release said first device, and a second device actuated during advancement of the cutter for causing retraction of the cutter and release of said second device in consequence of which the cut tubing is moved by the uncut tubing away from the cutter so that the cut tubing can gravitate from the path of movement of the uncut tubing and in consequence of which the second spring is released and to cause the abutmentmember to strike the cut tubing and thereby to assist in ejection thereof and to return to normal position in the path of movement of the uncut tubing.

I 2. Apparatus for cutting tubing which is moved longitudinally by a feeding device, said apparatus comprising a tubing cutter movable transversely of the tubing, a shaft located parallel to the tubing, means supporting the shaft for axial and rotary movements, an abutment member attached to the shaft and located normally in the path of movement of the tubing at a predetermined distance from the cutter, a first device actuated-by movement of the shaft'axially in response" to movement of the abutment member by the tubing for'causing advancement ofthe cutter 'to cut the tubing, means actuated in response to advancement of the cutter to effect rotation of the shaft to move the abutment memher. away from the tubing, a spring released for operation in response to said retraction of the abutment member to return the shaft to normal axial position and consequently the abutment member back to a position along side the cut tubing, said movement of the shaft releasing said first device, a second device actuated during advancement of the cutter for causing retraction of the cutter and release of said second device in consequence of which the cut tubing is'moved by the uncut tubing .away from the cutter so that the cut tubingcan gravitate from the path of movement of the uncut tubing, and a spring for rotating the shaft back to its normal position thereby causing the member to strike the cut tubing to assist in ejection thereof and moving the abutment member into the path of move ment of the uncut tubing.

3;- Apparatus for cutting tubing which is moved longitudinally by a feeding device, said apparatus comprising a servomotor having a movable memher, a tubing cutter operated by the member, a first and second servomotor controlling devices respectively for effecting movement of the cutter toward and away from the tubing, a shaft located parallel to the tubing, means supporting the shaft-for axial and rotary movements, an abutment member attached to the shaft and located normally'in the path of movement of the tubing at a predetermined distance from the cutter, the

first control device having an actuator located in the path of axial movement of the shaft which is moved in response to movement of the abutment member by the tubing whereby the first control device is rendered operative by movement of the shaft to cause the servomotor member to move in the direction to cause the cutter to sever the tubing, means actuated by the servomotor member while moving in said direction for effecting rotation of the shaft to move the abutment member away from the tubing, a spring released for operation in response to said retraction of the abutment member to return the shaft to normal axial position and consequently the abutment member back to a position alongside the cut tubing, said movement of the shaft releasing the actuator of the first control device, means operated by said servomotor member during the latter portion of its movement in said direction for causing the second control device to be rendered effective to cause the servomotor member to move in the opposite direction to retract the cutter and to release the actuator of the second control device in consequence of which the cut tubing is moved by the uncut tubing away from the cutter so that the cut tubing can gravitate from the path of movement of the uncut tubing, and a spring for rotating the shaft back to its normal position thereby causing the memher to strike the cut tubing to assist in ejection thereof and moving the member into normal position in the path of movement of the uncut tubing.

REA I. HAHN.

BERNARD E. FRANK.

No references cited. 

